Guess the 2014 Tony Awards Production Numbers

Oh, you thought likely winners were the only thing we could attempt to predict? Fooey! You know the drill. Given the usual time restrictions, the desire to best convey the "feel" of the each show (or at least what the producers want the audience to experience) and the need to showcase the big stars, what do you think will be the likely production number(s) from our nominated musicals? That's... After Midnight A Gentleman's Guide to Love and Murder Beautiful Aladdin Hedwig and the Angry Inch Les Mis Violet

And if you think it'll be a medley (ugh), tell us which songs would be included.

I kinda hope Les Mis does something more subdued since Ramin is their only other major nomination. Would love for him to do Bring Him Home.

Violet will probably do On My Way.

Hedwig will probably do a medley of Origin of Love and Midnight Radio (to feature Lena too).

Aladdin will almost certainly do Friend Like Me.

After Midnight will probably do a medley of one of Adriane's numbers (I'd guess Women Be Wise) and one of the big production numbers.

Gentleman's Guide will either do I've Decided to Marry You and a Jefferson number (maybe Better With a Man?).

Beautiful is the toughest one to call since there are so many to choose from. I just hope they don't do Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow, which they've been parading around to all of the talk shows. Would love them to do a medley of The Locomotion, It's Too Late, and I Feel the Earth Move.

Well, rumor has it Carole will be performing with Beautiful. I wouldn't be surprised if Jessie and Carole perform the title song together and they include a piece of one of the ensemble numbers at the beginning. 1650 Broadway would be a lot of fun.

I was just assuming Beautiful since Will You Love Me Tomorrow and Beautiful are the two numbers they've been doing for press and according to Carole, it was her choice to name the show after that song and is one of her favorites. I'm assuming she has quite a bit of a say in what will be performed. I'd love to see them do Natural Woman or Earth Move, personally. Earth Move is the only number in the show that the entire cast is in, actually.

They also might do "You've Got a Friend" again. Anika Larsen and Jarrod Spector are both nominees and are featured in it and Carole performed it with the cast when she visited.

Although she isn't nominated, I would imagine Fantasia will be in the AFTER MIDNIGHT number. Lenox, as a nominee, will certainly be there. But the producers want to sell tickets.

And I would think HEDWIG would do something more uptempo and energetic than 'Origin of Love'. I would think would do 'Tear Me Down', though if I recall it has a lot of narration in it. "Midnight Radio' seems more plausible than 'Origin', though.

And I definitely think it's going to be a year when non-nominated shows are also featured. I can't imagine they won't have Idina sing.

Beautiful using "Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow" for the all the press performances does not entirely mean they will use it for the Tonys. Once used "Falling Slowly" anywhere and everywhere they could, and then did "Gold" for the Tonys.

Is it too much to hope for that they also feature non-nominated shows like Bullets, Rocky, If/Then and Cabaret?

I know the almighty clock cannot runneth over 11PM - but surely they can kill some of that awful fluff they put in the show for the presenters (You know the drill, some sitcom star presents and tells the audience that back in 1987 he/she starred on Broadway at the age of 10 but now he/she is a sitcom star for CBS and since they are broadcasting this, they thought they would remind the audience he/she has a show on CBS).

Kill the banter and give us a few more production numbers, even if it is someone singing on a bare stage.

I watched the 1984 Tony Awards the other night, they did career highlights of some of the nominees (Jerry Herman and Stephen Sondheim) along with their nominated show that year (La Cage Aux Folles and Sunday in the Park with George). And there were a lot of career highlights for each of them.

Sure would be nice to get a good sampling of the current Broadway season. Isnt that what the Tony's are supposed to be about?

While I want to see the non-nominated shows perform, it always leaves a bad taste in my mouth when people insist on it. I've had shows I've worked on and shows I've loved not get a single moment of primetime coverage because they were nominated for the "wrong" awards (IE, not best musical). Either everyone gets a featured spot in some way or they stick to the tradition of Best Musical nominees getting a full performance. It's not fair to switch back and forth every other year.

A long shot, for sure, but what do you think the odds of Audra McDonald getting to sing a little Lady Day would be? If they do a medley of current shows/nominees, I could see that happening at the top of the ceremony.

I love this question, I find myself trying to make these predictions during each show.

I really hope that they let Cabaret perfrom, but if they do, they should not do Wilkommen for the 4zillionth time.

After Midnight: Not sure, but I am sure it will be big and full of choreography Gentlemen's Guide: They should do 'I've Decided To Marry You' and they will probably do something with Jefferson as well. Beautiful: 'You've Got a Friend' is a crowd pleaser. I almost hope that Carol does NOT perform with the cast (is that bad?) Aladdin: 'Friend Like Me' (you have to give it your best, right?) Violet: 'On My Way' involves most of the cast. 'Luck of the Draw' does as well, but I do not think that would be as good. Hedwig: Seeing it tonight Les Mis: I really hope they do "Bring Him Home.' Ramin is nominated and they have done 'One Day More' more times than Cabaret has done 'Wilkommen'

Aladdin will most certainly be doing Friend Like Me. Each of their showstoppers has its pro and cons though. Arabian Nights: Pros:The only number that features all principals. A big dance number that extremely focused despite having everyone onstage which should show up well on screen. Cons: It would require Disney to build an additional set to mount the number. As seen from GMA the number needs to be properly introduce and build like it does during the show, or else it is just overwhelming yet underwhelming at the same time. A Friend Like Me: Pros:The best number in the show. Shows off and reminds people of the great production values of Beauty and the Beast. Showcases James Monroe Iglhart's performance who is essentially a lock for Best Featured Actor in a Musical because of this number. It includes more than one principal. Cons: It may be to big a number and would require a lot of truncation. ( I think they could easily remove Aladdin Disappearing/Menken Medley). Trap doors are heavily used in the number. Prince Ali: Pros: Requires no major set pieces. Features James Monroe Iglhart's. Cons: It is essentially just a parade of costumes and props which can amaze in the theater, but as one could see from The View performance just comes off rather flat and dull.

A Whole New World: Pros:The best known song of the score. Flying! Cons: Flying

I could see Disney doing a medley of A Whole New World into Friend Like Me. With the Aladdin and Jasmine in front of the curtain they sing a verse and chorus. Then they rise straight up on the carpet the curtain rises to revel the cave of wonders with Genie.

A Gentleman's Guide to Love and Murder will most certainly do a medley as I can't think of a single number that would sell the show well enough. The producers probably want to avoid what happened when Once won and everyone who hadn't seen the show thought, " Wait what show won? The one with the lost girl in the bar? Oh....those Newsboys and the show where they were pitching a tent looked better..." **Yes I am asserting A Gentleman's Guide To Love and Murder will will Best Musical!**

Beautiful: Most of the numbers featuring the principals are extremely same and intimate, which make them difficult sells for the Tonys. I could see them doing Some Kind of Wonderful as it is one of the few numbers that builds. I also showcases both the intimacy of the show, as well as the production numbers. I could also see them Will you still love me tomorrow but in the reverse order of how it is done in the show. **I have a feeling the opening number will feature/be themed "On Broadway" with the Drifters being used to connect shows. Even though Rosie O'Donnell used this concept for the opening number when she hosted, which did not work well. I feel that the fact Hugh Jackman can actually sing and the number is actually being used is a nominee justifies it being recycled for this years opening number.**

After Midnight- I am seeing this week so I cannot speak to what they will do.

For Revivals: Les Miserables: Is it even a question? One Day More

Violet: On My Way, but I could also see them doing Bring Me to the Light as it is the only other production number that actually features Violet/Sutton. There is Raise Me Up, but its the only number Sutton is not actually on stage for its entirety. In my opinion though I would love for them to do Surprised as it is my favorite song and the entire ensemble is on stage for despite not actually singing. I could see them doing Surprised leading into On My Way though.

Hedwig: I have not seen the production yet, and likely won't. Not that I don't want to see it, but I cannot afford to see it.

Other shows performing: I see a big medley opening number. As I already said I will probably be themed "On Broadway" where you can see: LES MIZ: That really long movie I was in last year IF/THEN: Frozen's Idena Menzel ALADDIN: ANOTHER DISNEY MOVIE ROCKY: Boxing (Yeah we're just as surprised as you-Joke) and Syvester Stallone BEAUTIFUL: Carol King well her life story in, which is where she will sing her duet with Jessie, BULLETS OVER BROADWAY: Gangsters and Woody Allen Hedwig: The second best tony host.... AFTER MIDNIGHT: The Cotton Club and every Female RB artist that is strapped for cash BRIDGES OF MADISON COUNTY: a horny housewife A GENTLEMAN'S GUIDE: a mass-murderer getting away with it LADY DAY: Billy Holiday cue Audra VIOLET: A girl on a road trip? Cabaret there are several Jokes that can be made as in intro to CABARET, but I don't know if Roundabout will want to pay for the performance, Zachary Levi will likely be part of. First Date: Zachary Levi will stand their with a joke...wait you were on Broadway...

I think Violet, A Gentleman's Guide, Bridges, First Date, Hedwig, will be more likely to get a shout out rather than a segment of the opening number akin to Memphis or Next to Normal, in their opening numbers.

I can see Audra not performing in the opening number and instead performing during "The Year in Plays" or if and when they bring back In Memoriam.

I agree with StickIt that it is hard to selectively include some and omit other non-Best Musical nominees to perform on the Tony telecast (include all those currently running, those of note, or???). But, the Tonys are supposed to celebrate the Broadway theater season and being more inclusive of the non-Best Musical nominees would be one way to assure that we do get to celebrate as many as possible.

On a more personal note, since theater is so transitory, the Tony telecast is more like a Broadway season "yearbook" and including more shows (that I most likely have seen) makes it richer on future viewings. But, with all the social media out now, you can catch any TV performance (Letterman, Tonight Show, GMA, etc) on youtube. And if you have video download software, you can keep it in your own private library. So, it is less critical but more fun to see as many on the Tony telecast as we can.

If Aladdin performs I would think they would do Arabian NIghts--the set doesn't start moving until the very end of the song, so the number could do without it. The necessary sets are the carts that Aladdin and Jasmine stand on--everyone else is on the floor. The trapdoors are essential for Friend Like Me, more complicated.